Summer Paradise
by NiNikoru
Summary: Maybe this summer will be different for Claire. After a little over a season of a new town, Claire is ready to explore this new area and make it the best summer she would have yet.
1. Hi, I'm Kai

**Chapter 1**

Ah, summer. Claire's favorite time of year. Although, this year, it was different. She was spending it here in Mineral Town. Over the past month she'd been there, she'd already grown accustomed to the small town and the people in it. Making friends was still a bit difficult, and thus she hadn't made any yet. But she felt like that didn't matter in this town, because everyone was nice. Jeff, the store owner, never charged her too much, and Doug's meals - oh the meals! - were amazing, and he offered her a free sample of whatever he just cooked up whenever she came into the store. She'd taken a liking to the church, where she went every Thursday evening after getting dinner at Doug's.

Spring had offered her events to attend, and events to look forward to in the future. Although her horse, Hayden, wasn't quite grown up, she was confident that he would be by the next spring horse races. She was determined, even now, several seasons before the actual event, to win. And the cooking contest? Once she upgraded her small house which was slowly becoming a home to her, she'd be a shoe-in. And now, Summer was here, and she'd already gone to the beach day. She loved all the dogs and couldn't wait for her own pup, Sparkie, to grow up and be able to partake. And now, the very day after, she was sitting on the beach, under the umbrellas and on top of a towel, and watching the waves.

* * *

**-Claire's P.O.V.-**

My Goddess, the water here is gorgeous. Maybe I'll use that fishing rod Zack gave to me one day. But for now, I'll just sit and watch the water. I got nothing better to do - with only two chickens to take care of, my chores were usually done by noon, with me grossing about 525 gold each day. I was saving up for a cow or two, and to buy some things off the TV. A quick check of my watch tells me I have a good two hours until I should start heading over to the Inn.

As I'm staring off into space, I fail to hear light footsteps until the person to whom those footsteps belong to appear in front of me. I glance up to see this creepy looking Asian guy wearing this yellow...thing. Was it a raincoat? Was it a poncho? Was it a - Goddess forbid- a dress? Whatever it was, it was weird. He grinned at me, his eyes wide. "Why, aren't **you** the pretty one. Won't you buy an apple?" He holds out this briefcase type thing full of apples.

"Er-"

All of the sudden, he was on top of me, pinning me down, his lips inches from mine. Before I could scream, his lips pressed against mine, and his tongue forced my mouth open. I begin to flail, my strong arms slipping out of his pale bony ones, and I tried to push him off me before he did anything worse. His lips were rough and he was kissing me so violently with so much tongue that I thought I was going to gag. I was in no position to get him off me, as my arms were at a weird angle and all his body weight was on top of me.

All of the sudden, the crushing body weight was off me as I hear a different voice shouting, "**You think you can do this to every new girl who walks into this town? YOU'RE SUCH A PIG. Go back to your pen and I swear, if I see you hurting another person, especially this poor girl, Zack will be digging your GRAVE. Now GO."**

I get up quickly enough to see this mysterious guy, sporting a mostly purple outfit, push the weirdo back towards Zack's place. I get up, wipe the sand off my body and brush my lips off with my shirt sleeve. So much for a nice, quiet town.

He turns around to me, his brown eyes adjusting and looking me up and down quickly. "Hi. I'm Kai."

I stammer. "I - uh..."

* * *

**-Kai's P.O.V.-**

So there I am, walking from the Inn to my little beach shack, to where I see Won on top of someone I don't recognize with long blonde hair. For one quick second I think it's Grey, because Won would do anything to get some kind of action, the creep. But I realize it can't be, because there's no "Uma" hat to be seen. Then I remember hearing about a new girl from Manna while I was in Town Square a few moments ago. I run over to Won and do the usual, only make my threat stronger this time. This has been the sixth time I've done this, and each time, I've gotten even more disgusted with Won.

As I was boring holes into the back of his head as he was walking back to the little house/store that he and Zack shared, I heard this mystery girl stand up. I turn around as I see her dusting herself off, as if this was no big deal, happens every day. I mean, it could very well happen every day. Just look at her! She's gorgeous.

_Wait._

What did I just say?

My own thoughts surprised me as I'd met and known all the girls in Mineral Town for practically all my life, and I have never felt anything for anyone of them, though I couldn't say the same for them. And now, when this total stranger waltzes in, and I save her like I did the rest of the girls, my heart suddenly drops for this girl. Maybe this summer will be different.

My eyes lock with hers, and I push aside all feelings so she couldn't see them. "Hi. I'm Kai."


	2. Smiles and winks

**Chapter Two**

**-Claire's P.O.V.-**

Kai.

_Kai_

His name echoed within my mind until I finally replied. "C-claire."

His face bore confusion at the least.

"I - uh...my name is Claire."

His face resumed to the smile he had a few moments ago.

"Why haven't I seen you around?" we both say at the same time. I notice the umbrella next to me has a stand made of wood, and I knock on it.

He grins, bearing a toothy white smile. He starts walking towards this shack next to Zack's place, and after turning and not seeing me follow, he jabs his thumb towards the shack and continues walking. I walk briskly so that I catch up to him in a matter of time. We make no furthur contact of any sort as he holds open the door to the shack. Inside I see a set-up exactly the Inn, except 1/10ths of the size. I immediatly fall for the charm of the little cottage, and after a glance at the barstool from Kai, I sit while he makes a milkshake.

* * *

"So you're from _Chicago_?!" Kai recaps, and I nod.

After he made me a milkshake - which was chocolate and thus amazing - we sat around in silence for a bit. Before I knew it, I was telling him my story about how I moved here a season back from the city. I told him all about the farmlife and how I got used to it, and all the foolish mistakes I made. He laughed in all the right place, and it felt like we were destined to meet. I felt like I could see anything to him and he would listen with his best intent. Small talk was never easier.

"So enough about me, how about you? I mean, after a season, I've already met everyone here, but never you."

"Ehh..." he hesitated, and I leaned across the table even furthur towards him. "My story is long and confusing."

"So is farming, but I'm still here."

"You sure?"

I nod at him, a small smile flashing on my lips, giving him the a-ok.

"Well, it all started when I was 15. Hormones and such. My parents were always finding something wrong with something I was doing. '_KAI! Tuck in your shirt'_ or _'KAI! No cell phone after 9 p.m.'_ I hated it and I wanted to get free from it. But where was I to go? I was some acne riddled teenaged boy who's only talent was lifting heavy things. But things at home were awful. My parents weren't physically abusive, but one day they'd punish me about my 99.5 in Algebra, and the next I'd be making my own breakfast as my mother sipped her coffee without speaking a word to me. It was making me insane, and I knew that I was becoming unhealthy from the stress. It showed on every boss' face, every teacher that gave me that 'A' I worked so hard for to please my parents, it showed on even the minister 's face as he shook my hand as I left the church.

"Night after night I'd go chasing after a job I found in the want pages, just to find out it was a scam or that the description failed to lack some sort of important detail. Like, '_Oh yea, Mr. Burgenston, you'll be working in a coal mine from 10pm to 2am' _after I drive out two hours to this crummy job. But finally, I saw this one ad that was too good to be true. A town called Mineral Town? A _real _town? Yeah, right. But I still checked it out. That's how I met Zack, who formerly owned this little shack, and who'd paid it off a couple of years ago. Took half of my money he did, but it was worth it. This shop, even though I'm only here for one season, funds me for the entire year, just giving me enough overflow into the next summer so I don't have to be selling things door to door and such."

"Wow." I say, slowly drawing out my breath, as our eyes lock.

"Mhmm. Kinda rocky past."

"Where do you go when you're not here in the summer?"

"Honestly?" I nod.

"I travel the seas on this small boat I bought, has just enough room for two, which most of the time I occupy myself. I visit all different states, and even countries. It's gorgeous."

"Wow. I'm jealous now."

"Don't be. My shop isn't popular enough for me to afford to pay rent every month at the Inn, even with Grey and Cliff to help. Plus, it'd be fun to grow my own crops and such."

"Let's just agree to disagree." he nods at me, and all is well.

I take a quick glance at my watch, and then again when I see the time. 11:00 pm?! "Look, I'm really sorry, I gotta go...you see I get up-"

He cut me off. "No, no. I understand. As long you visit at least once a week, and maybe bring me some pineapple (they're my favorite), you're off the hook." he finished, winking at me.

"Sounds like a plan." I say, as I pack up my rucksack and head out, smiling as I do so.


End file.
